I am paying €1,632 for a fortnight, which includes €507 for full board at a 3* hotel, €990 for the therapy and an optional extra of access to the thermal spa, a couple of massages and Reiki treatment for €135.

My travel costs are separate, but I won’t list them because I prefer to travel by train and I might make detours to visit friends or do some sightseeing. A return flight to Brescia from Bristol airport with Ryanair is £52.

I am dismayed that you are having trouble with communicating. The centre is backed by Parkinson UK, European Parkinson Disease association, Cure Parkinson’s trust and operates in 40 countries etc etc. I am a director of the centre (and a 10 year Parky) and apologise. We have never had communication problems. I will personally check but given I have no real name to check against… Be assured, we are ready and waiting for you. It is a life changing experience and I am sad for the problem.
Alex
European Parkinson

Hi Flossie, I posted a thread on the forum on the Centre. You should be able to find it somewhere. My trip there was hugely successful. When I arrived I was on 5 Madopar a day and using a stick to walk. I had almost constant pain in my right hip. When I left I was on 4 Madopar a day and not using a stick.

The main gain was improvement in my walking as a result of the intensive physiotherapy. That improvement has continued. I am continuing to follow the advice on exercise and I am also swimming again.

I also benefitted from the advice on medicine management and diet. Before going to the centre I’d been confused by contradictory advice on whether to eat with pills or take them on an empty stomach. I followed the centre’s advice, not just to take my Madopar on an empty stomach, but not to eat an hour before and half an hour after taking a pill. I also followed the advice to avoid protein foods during the day and eat my main protein meal after taking my last tablet of the day. I found that advice reduced the amount of ‘off’ time during the day.

Five months later I am still following the advice, but recently I have had to go back on 5 Madopar. I am also starting on Pipexus to try to smooth out the effects of the Madopar and reduce my ‘off’ time, although that is still less than before I started following the Centre’s recommended regime.

It was well worth the money for the benefits I gained and I’m thinking of attending again after a year for a refresher.

So glad you enjoyed your visit and found it worthwhile .
When we were there Sept2016 Baz was on Pramipexole 3.1 Er and Azelect 1mg. He’s been on both since March 2011 and they have worked really well.
Only started on Madopar 125 TDS Jan 2018 as he was finding he wasn’t walking so well and not sleeping so good. couldn’t increase the Pramipexole as on max dose.What a roller coaster it’s been.

AFTER 6 months started getting dyskinesia and dystonia .Dosage of Mirapexin reduced to 2.62 with no improvement so Madopar dosage reduced to 125. @ 7am then 62.5 @1pm 4.30 pm and8pm.Disaster he was more off than on!
Brought the 7am dose forward to 8am then 62.5. [email protected] 12/2.30/5.00/7.30/10pm
This seems to be working very well, the 10pm dose certainly helps him get a better nights sleep.The food thing is paramount .If he fasts the pills work amazing but you can’t fast all the time.!
I think you are right about saving the protein for late in the day but it’s not always possible, then the pills are less effective.
On the whole though at 71,diagnosed 7 years he is still living life to the full playing tennis 2 hrs twice a week, cycling 50km twice a week,walking 40+ km a week ,skiing,maintaining a 1/4 acre garden,and diy projects.We think we will go back to the centre in the future as it was so motivating .